Željko blinked for a moment, amazed that Adelina was learning Serbian. Nikola looked just as surprised, which meant he had no clue either. Her pronunciation wasn’t too bad either, which made it all that much more flattering.

“Tvoj srpski je dobro,” Željko complimented. “Your Serbian is good. Really good actually, since it’s your first time speaking it and all…”

Adelina couldn’t help but smile. but her face went hot with her blushing she tried to shy away.

“Well I was told I could learn many languages. It would serve my husband well. I can even translate Templar encoded messages into proper words. I was still learning the assassin’s code from Maestro Da Vinci himself, but I couldn’t afford my tutoring.”

“N-no, not at all!” Željko insisted. “I’m warning you though, my reading skills aren’t the best, especially not in English.”

Adelina couldn’t help but smile. She noted his honesty, and with that, a small nod came through her movements.

“I understand. I can help if you so need to. I used to learn new languages when I was being tutored. Papa wanted me to be a smart, well educated woman for my husband. So I would serve him well…” She then thought of home, and shook her head as if to dismiss the longing she had.

“A wise man, your father was,” Nikola complimented with a smile. “Any educated person can serve others better, especially if one learns multiple languages.”

“Nikola knows that because he’s a prime example of it,” Željko murmured. “He knows eight languages, last time I checked anyways.”

“Ja malo srpskih zna” She smiled sheepishly.

“Sorry if I got the words wrong, I’ve been re-reading some other literature.. I hope I did alright.”

Nikola smiled. “Then it’s settled then. Now, how about we have our tea before it gets too cold to enjoy?”

“Oh si! Of course!” She said, extending her arms out to show the men where they were to sit, Adelina sitting inbetween them as she made their teas, pouring the hot beverages into the smaller cups, handing each one their own as well as a scone.

Both men murmured their thank yous as their drinks and snacks were handed to them. Nikola was quick to drink up but of course only took a sip. Željko on the other hand seemed to prefer to wait until the tea cooled down a bit.

Adelina sipped her tea quietly, the woman looking at the off chance to her crush, a smile widening.

Nikola smiled. “Then it’s settled then. Now, how about we have our tea before it gets too cold to enjoy?”

“Oh si! Of course!” She said, extending her arms out to show the men where they were to sit, Adelina sitting inbetween them as she made their teas, pouring the hot beverages into the smaller cups, handing each one their own as well as a scone.

“N-no, not at all!” Željko insisted. “I’m warning you though, my reading skills aren’t the best, especially not in English.”

Adelina couldn’t help but smile. She noted his honesty, and with that, a small nod came through her movements.

“I understand. I can help if you so need to. I used to learn new languages when I was being tutored. Papa wanted me to be a smart, well educated woman for my husband. So I would serve him well...” She then thought of home, and shook her head as if to dismiss the longing she had.

Željko was either going to faint or explode at this point. He felt a violent urge to beat his friend for blurting out his secret, but then again, he didn’t want Adelina to fear him just yet; he was a dangerous man, capable of atrocious things. There weren’t too many lines he had left to cross.

“It’s… the truth.”

She smiled bright and wide, throwing her arms around him and kissing his cheek.

“Messer Tesla? Do you think we would make an adorable couple?”

Željko smiled sheepishly at the kiss as his friend replied. He was pretty sure he already knew Nikola’s answer.

“I do believe you two are an excellent pairing, yes.”

Adelina giggled before letting go. “Shall we go home and wind down? I haven found that your literature is very interesting. Far more creativity than the ones I have read.”

“Of course, Miss Adelina,” Nikola stated with a smile. “Perhaps a good book would do Željko some good; he’s been too busy to read as of late.”

A half truth, but Željko was glad Nikola wasn’t saying anything condescending at the moment. He did find Željko to be a bit lazy when it came to academics, after all. The younger of the two didn’t really care for books; that wasn’t in his job description. Plus, he wasn’t the best student when he was in school.

“Oh I do love to read myself. Perhaps we can read together?” She turned to face the younger male, a smile small on her features.

“That is, if you do not mind?”

Adelina had still danced and twirled, humming as if she were dancing. She didn’t notice the men until she glanced in the mirror. She shrieked and paused, turning around.

“I… I uh I didn’t see you men! Sorry I thought you were going to have another hard time taking Signore Tesla out of his work lab!”

Both the men chuckled, though Nikola more since Željko had taken that brief time they had witnessed it to admire her grace.

“It’s fine, Miss Adelina,” Tesla insisted. “I’m glad that you are happy enough here that you have the urge to dance.”

“Well? Do you have any musical instruments? I could play and dance if you boys want some entertainment!” She smiled. “Do you boys dance?”

“Nikola attends a lot of parties,” Željko chuckled. “I believe he’s somewhat obligated to know how to dance. As for me, well… I guess so, da. I enjoy it, but no one’s ever told me whether I’m good or not.”

The mention of a party got Nikola thinking. He was supposed to attend a masquerade this weekend… Željko of course was attending, and since the host had insisted that they each could bring guests, well…

“Miss Adelina, would you like to go to a masquerade?” The scientist asked.

Adelina’s eyes lit up brightly as she clasped her hands together.

“Si! Oh! But… I don’t have anything new to wear! Oh but I love masquerades! Are you sure you wouldn’t mind my company?” She asked, her demeanor bright and bubbly.

“Absolutely not. We both always do enjoy your company,” Nikola replied. “As for clothing, I suggest you and Željko go out tomorrow to go buy yourself a suitable dress. I do warn you though, they’ll fit differently than the dresses you’ve been used to.”

As much as Željko dreaded shopping, he didn’t mind it this time, considering that he was going with Adelina. In fact, he was smiling widely at her enthusiasm over the subject. That, and well… he finally wouldn’t end up feeling lonely after an hour or two at the party.

She nearly exploded in delight at the idea as she hugged Nikola, kissing his cheek softly, and rushing to hug Zeljko, also pressing her soft lips to his cheek.

“I do not mind at all! It will give me time to hem the dress for whenever I am to return home!”

Željko was either going to faint or explode at this point. He felt a violent urge to beat his friend for blurting out his secret, but then again, he didn’t want Adelina to fear him just yet; he was a dangerous man, capable of atrocious things. There weren’t too many lines he had left to cross.

“It’s… the truth.”

She smiled bright and wide, throwing her arms around him and kissing his cheek.

“Messer Tesla? Do you think we would make an adorable couple?”

Željko smiled sheepishly at the kiss as his friend replied. He was pretty sure he already knew Nikola’s answer.

“I do believe you two are an excellent pairing, yes.”

Adelina giggled before letting go. “Shall we go home and wind down? I haven found that your literature is very interesting. Far more creativity than the ones I have read.”

Adelina had still danced and twirled, humming as if she were dancing. She didn’t notice the men until she glanced in the mirror. She shrieked and paused, turning around.

“I… I uh I didn’t see you men! Sorry I thought you were going to have another hard time taking Signore Tesla out of his work lab!”

Both the men chuckled, though Nikola more since Željko had taken that brief time they had witnessed it to admire her grace.

“It’s fine, Miss Adelina,” Tesla insisted. “I’m glad that you are happy enough here that you have the urge to dance.”

“Well? Do you have any musical instruments? I could play and dance if you boys want some entertainment!” She smiled. “Do you boys dance?”

“Nikola attends a lot of parties,” Željko chuckled. “I believe he’s somewhat obligated to know how to dance. As for me, well… I guess so, da. I enjoy it, but no one’s ever told me whether I’m good or not.”

The mention of a party got Nikola thinking. He was supposed to attend a masquerade this weekend… Željko of course was attending, and since the host had insisted that they each could bring guests, well…

“Miss Adelina, would you like to go to a masquerade?” The scientist asked.

Adelina’s eyes lit up brightly as she clasped her hands together.

“Si! Oh! But... I don’t have anything new to wear! Oh but I love masquerades! Are you sure you wouldn’t mind my company?” She asked, her demeanor bright and bubbly.

Send 💕 and my muse will use The Love Calculator to see how compatible they are.

Adelina had still danced and twirled, humming as if she were dancing. She didn’t notice the men until she glanced in the mirror. She shrieked and paused, turning around.

“I… I uh I didn’t see you men! Sorry I thought you were going to have another hard time taking Signore Tesla out of his work lab!”

Both the men chuckled, though Nikola more since Željko had taken that brief time they had witnessed it to admire her grace.

“It’s fine, Miss Adelina,” Tesla insisted. “I’m glad that you are happy enough here that you have the urge to dance.”

“Well? Do you have any musical instruments? I could play and dance if you boys want some entertainment!” She smiled. “Do you boys dance?”

Željko was either going to faint or explode at this point. He felt a violent urge to beat his friend for blurting out his secret, but then again, he didn’t want Adelina to fear him just yet; he was a dangerous man, capable of atrocious things. There weren’t too many lines he had left to cross.

“It’s… the truth.”

She smiled bright and wide, throwing her arms around him and kissing his cheek.

“Messer Tesla? Do you think we would make an adorable couple?”

Adelina had still danced and twirled, humming as if she were dancing. She didn’t notice the men until she glanced in the mirror. She shrieked and paused, turning around.

“I... I uh I didn’t see you men! Sorry I thought you were going to have another hard time taking Signore Tesla out of his work lab!”